In Their Own Words
by CompliCait
Summary: A series of shorts featuring each of the main and supporting characters, in no particular order.
1. Mari: Blanket

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: The blanket bit is all my stupid imagination, sorry.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

* * *

**Blanket**

I love this blanket. So warm wrapped around me. Everything good about my life can be traced back to this blanket.

My earliest memory is of cold. Numbing cold. And darkness. I couldn't move. I felt like I was drowning. Yes, drowning. I was drowing. The water was so dark, and cold. But I didn't move. I remembered. _Don't panic. Don't move. Good girl._ _Relax and let the water float you. _I was floating. I could breath again. I can't remember how long it was like that. It was so cold. And dark.

The next thing I remember was being warm again. I didn't know where I was, but there were people talking. They were talking about me, but I don't know what they were saying. I was just happy to be warm again. My body hurt all over and I was shaking, but I was warm. Wrapped in this very blanket. I never could let go of it. The only good thing I can remember about that night.

I was taken to an orphanage, so I guess I was alone. I didn't remember anything about my life. The tattered clothes I had been wearing told them my name was "Mari," but that was all that was left of my old life.

It's interesting now. I don't remember him at all. This man who grabs and hugs me so tightly. It used to scare me, but now I'm pretty used to it. My father. He cries a lot. He says it's because he's so happy now, but I don't know. People shouldn't cry so much when they're happy, should they?

My life is so much more exciting now; since I met Mr. Katsuro. I still remember the day, two years ago when I got a letter at the orphanage. A letter just for me. The first letter I ever got from anybody. He seemed so nice and we became penpals. It was a lot of fun. He told me all about his life as a "travelling businessman" and I would tell him about my studies and the other kids at the orphanage. In one letter he sent me his e-mail address, so we started keeping in touch every day. Then, he even sent me a phone. He said it was so we could, "talk to each other whenever we wanted," but that, "I shouldn't tell anyone about it 'cause it was 'our secret'." So, I was a good girl and I didn't tell anybody about it at all.

My dad doesn't like it when I talk about Mr. Katsuro. He says, "that man is no good." I don't really get why my dad doesn't get along with Mr. Katsuro when they are both such nice men. Kanji said that Mr. Katsuro is Taki's dad, but Taki doesn't talk about him either. I wonder why, but nobody ever wants to talk to me about it. Even Goh, and he tells me everything. Goh says I'm the only girl, other than Mimi, that he likes. When I ask him why that is he says it's because it makes Taki happy. I don't really know what he means by that.

Taki and Goh are funny, though. They're always fighting when they come to the cafe. Taki says he, "likes his space," and "Goh, stop that in front of the child!" It makes me giggle, 'cause then Goh always winks at me and then grabs Taki from behind and Taki gets all flustered. Dad says they work together and that they're, "really good friends." The way he says it's kinda funny, though. I don't really get it. Dad and Mr. Hatozaki are friends and they don't fight like that. Oh well.

All I know is now I'm really happy. The orphanage wasn't so bad, but everyone here is so nice and so much fun. Mimi always does my hair up and Kanji does all kinds of magic tricks and stuff whenever I start to get bored while dad's working. Then dad gets angry and tells Kanji, "Get back to work!" And, "Pipe down!" It's funny. I wish I could see Mr. Katsuro again, though. He said he was going far away for his job and that his phone wasn't going to work anymore because it was so far away. I wonder when he's coming back? I'll hang on to this phone until he does.

While I wait, though, all I can really do is be a good girl, do my homework, have fun with everybody and curl up at night in my nice warm blanket. So, that's what I'll do now. Lay down, pull up my blanket, and have sweet dreams.

* * *

Mari  
7/25/06  
777 words (I swear to God) 


	2. Katsuro Father Son

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: Work in progress. To be linked with "Mizuki" fic when I get around to it.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

* * *

**  
Father/Son**

My idiot son. I remember when Mizuki called me that day. He said, "there's some little boy at the drop site." I thought he meant some kid was dropping the payment for our job. On our smaller jobs we deal in cash, and it's always a hassle getting our money. Sometimes our clients like to pay us through people they can write off, like kids or street urchins.

When I got there Mizuki was talking to him. The "little boy" was about 6, older than Mizuki made him sound over the phone. I had to laugh. He didn't have the money, he didn't know anything about the job, and he didn't have anywhere to go home to. Kid's parents were probably drug addicts. OD-ed or abandoned him out there. Who knows? It was a pretty bad neighborhood.

I could see it in Mizuki's eyes right away. My partner. He wanted to take the kid. Like a stray dog or something. He pulled me aside, talking some nonsense about how we could use him as a cover story, and when he got older he could "join the organization," like we were running some kind of school for aspiring assassins. But I could see that Mizuki really wanted this, so I didn't argue. Taki came with us.

It was unnerving how Mizuki would light up around Taki. Not in a creepy sort of way, not early on, but all the same. I never knew my partner had such a soft side. That kid made him soft. He was a sweet kid, though. And bright; like a sponge. Of course, he'd say, "Sea sponges aren't bright, you know." Then I'd have to knock him one; little smartass. I was really surprised he didn't figure out what we did for a living sooner. I guess it was because Mizuki was so adamant about hiding it. Really, how did he expect Taki to "join us" if he wasn't allowed to be part of the world we lived in? I didn't argue, though. Arguing with Mizuki about things he wants, as few and far between as they are, is a waste of time, and I'm not bothering.

My partner was really hurting when Taki finally ran off for good. He'd run a few times before. After I'd gotten mad at him while Mizuki wasn't around, he'd run somewhere and hide, but he always came back before, crying to Mizuki, and he'd coddle the kid. Mizuki waited this time, too, but we both knew Taki wasn't coming back.

I decided we should take a break, so I took Mizuki out of the country for a few years. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Things didn't get better. Mizuki was pretty far gone at that point. That idiot son of ours. Look at the mess he made. Well, I figured as his father I was supposed to fix it, right? So, while Mizuki went off to do... That thing... I went hunting.

First, I had to figure out what exactly happened. I guess I always knew Taki wasn't cut out for our work. I could really tell that night. He did what he did out of fear, and when it was over he was torn apart with guilt. I think my partner made a pretty dumb move that night. Mizuki didn't want to talk about it, but I could see it in his eyes. That heartbroken look. Try so hard to get Taki to think you're a wonderful kind guy and don't make your move until after that illusion's been shattered? Come on. Of course the kid was going to run, especially that kid.

So, okay, Taki felt guilty and he ran because he was scared. So, how does a father fix this? I took a chance and looked through some old newspapers and I found something pretty interesting. Seemed a little girl was found washed up in a town nearby that night. No details of identity except a partial nametag in a very familiar torn piece of clothing. Interesting indeed.

It was only a matter of time after that. When Mizuki was done we decided it was about time to head back, but it's always a good idea to be cautious, so we decided to find out how "hot it still was back in Japan" after our last job, so we hired some kid to do our leg work. What a coincidence that was, huh? Yeah, right. I already knew where Taki was, I sent him there afterall, and I knew exactly who Kei was, too, but I couldn't be the one to tell Mizuki. He couldn't know what I was doing for him; for both of them, so this kid was the perfect go-between. The things a man does for his family, right?

Yeah, you heard right. I sent Taki to that cafe. Of course, no one but me knew I was the one who sent him, not even Taki, not even my partner. Taki could run and he could hide, but he could never stay hidden from me. A few times I think he felt the heat at his back and got up and would run again. He went through quite a few different professions, if you could call them that, over those 5 years. Sometime around his 21st birthday, or rather, the anniversary of the day we "adopted" him, Mizuki was finalizing the plans for his "operation," so I figured it was time to stick Taki somewhere that would make things, how should I say, more convenient for when we returned. Details aren't important, and they would ruin my trade secrets, but let's just say I directed his attentions to a certain cafe rumored in the underworld to be run by an ex-cop whose family had been murdered by Sandfish and was bent on revenge, under the pretext of a job that had recently been vacated.

Everything fell pretty much into place after that. The only variable I hadn't considered was this Goh kid. I never imagined Taki would turn out like _that_, but I guess there had been circumstances beyond anyone's control. The interesting bonds of partnerships, eh? I don't really know how I feel about that kid with my son, but I guess I missed my chance to express my parental disapproval, huh?

I know I went out on some limbs back there and we hit a few snags, but I think everyone came out better for it. Taki got his happy ending, that cop guy got his kid back, Mizuki learned an important lesson about love, and no one had to die. I'd say it was a pretty damn good ending indeed.

We have to lay low again, though. Not much to do when you're not working. But I find myself thinking back to that day when we took home our new, idiot son. We never did get our money. It's unfortunate when our clients have to be dealt with. Not only didn't we get paid, but we had to do even more work. Mizuki said he took care of it. I didn't ask for details.

* * *

Katsuro  
7/25/06  
1186 words 


	3. Tsunuga: Revenge

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: 7/27/06: My first reviewer! Thank you so very much for your kind words, eternalsailorsolarwind. I'll do my best to make the future installments to this project as entertaining as I can. 7/31/06: Made some changes to this chapter, particularly concerning the events of volumes 3 and 4; hope it is a bit better now.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

* * *

**Revenge**

Six years. _Six years._ That's how long I waited. Six long years of torture, regret and a nearly unfathomable thirst for revenge.

You can't imagine how it feels. To have a life and a family and a job that you can feel proud of, and all at once it is taken away from you. A flash of an instant. A phone call from work, and you kiss them goodbye and you never see them again.

Torture, yes. To have a love like that, to have that kind of joy in your life, and then not have it, and know that you will never have it again. To believe that you will never feel such human emotions as love for anyone or anything ever again. Gone and as final as the moment when the sheet is pulled back on a corpse that was once a lively woman you would come home to every evening and kiss goodbye every morning as you left.

Regret, yes. To believe, _if only I had stayed; if only I had taken them with me; if only I was there._ Can you even imagine? Do you even know what it is to reflect upon past actions? To be consumed by them? To abandon your job in despair; stepping for the first time into a world that you hadn't even realized until then that you hardly knew at all? If only you had known. Then, maybe you would have stayed. You would have told your bosses to go screw themselves; there are more important things in life than a thankless job helping ungrateful people with their worthless lives. It all amounts to nothing when the people you work so hard to protect and to help are the very people who take it all away from you.

And revenge, yes. To take an equal amount and leave an equal amount of suffering upon those who caused this pain. To be consumed by a singular goal. To abadon and old life that is no longer compatible with this new driving force and start over with only one need; vengeance. And only one clue; a cryptic card with pictures of lizards. _Sandfish._

Hate was such a new emotion for me. I had never hated anything before. Sure, I had said the word, in passing, as a joke, in reference to things that I now understand are very distinctly different from true hatred. True hatred twists your very core into something unrecognizable. It consumes you in a way that only it can, and destroys the man you were just moments before.

But, still was the old man; the cop, whispering in my ear, telling me that I couldn't do this thing that I wanted. _That I needed. _I couldn't take lives and impart vigilante justice. Oh, but I could watch. Yes, that's when I had thought it. Someone else can do it. I'll find them. I'll train them, and then_, I'll send them to kill for me. _

So, I opened a cafe. It had to be a cafe. A larger business would consume too much of my time in pursuits I had no real interest in, and it needed to be a place people could frequent for short periods of time and be inconspicuous. I had my old contacts, so setting up "shop" was easy. It had to be simple work, though. Nothing too involved. Minor jobs, with moderate risks that could be handled by individuals who weren't consumed with the same evil as the people who destroyed a poor cop's life, but were skilled enough for the job. Snatchers; perfect.

Goh wasn't the first. He wasn't the second either. There were too many variables. I had to find just the right mix of talent and personality. When I found Goh I knew he was a keeper. Kei was a little flighty, I could see that straight away. I wasn't exactly heartbroken when he ran off. Then one day, not long after, Taki walked into the cafe looking for work. He had said, "anything will do," with a look in his eyes that I knew meant he wasn't looking for a bus boy position.

Seeing them together was strange. They formed a bond that took me a long time to realize was something I had believed I would never witness or care about again in my life. I _cared_ about them. It wasn't part of the plan. I wasn't supposed to get close to these kids. Keep distance, don't get involved. Get them to do the job and walk away from it. For a while I was strangely comfortable. My life was a semi-pleasant routine.

It scared me. I felt guilt. Guilt for being almost happy when the people I cared the most for in the world were long gone; gone because of me, and would never feel that same happiness again. So, I started bringing their picture with me to work. Their picture, and the other one. I hid them of course; couldn't have any questions. When I started to get too comfortable, I would have that reminder of what I lost.

When Sandfish showed back up, I guess I saw my chance. I still can't believe I actually managed to ask the two of them to do it. Part of me didn't want to. The part that still clung to old ethics. No, that's not true. It was the part that didn't want to corrupt those two good men. The part that wanted to protect them and not force them to suffer for my own selfish desires. Unfortunately, that desperate part of me that couldn't let go of this, my one chance, won out. I felt so weak, and vulnerable. When I discovered that Taki had received a card from Sandfish, I realized my selfishness. I hedged. Not even discovering Taki's parentage changed my interest in protecting him. It didn't last long though, as I felt the murderers of my family start to slip out of my grasp. I decided then that I would do it myself.

I had to find them though, which was difficult to accomplish after Taki ran off. I was past asking the two of them to do my dirty work for me, but I guess I wasn't past my willingness to use them for my own ends. Some of the things I said and did to both of them I regret now, but it was my only chance. I was patient and let Goh find Taki; afterall, he would be better to find his own partner, and now apparently, lover, than me. After that it was just a matter of using the transmitter signal to find them both. I wouldn't have hurt Taki. At least, I hope I wouldn't have. Things were so confused then and I was so desperate.

When it all came down I was left shaking. Everything I had built up for six years was torn down. Half of my life returned to me in an instant by the very people I had blamed for taking it away. The people I had blamed. What do I do about them now? My desire for vengeance against them has dwindled, and my resentment for my former colleagues and superiors has grown in its place. At once I had thought to continue my quest anew against my new enemies, but what now? I have my little girl back. To abandon her alive now in selfishness for what I want would be worse than my crime in allowing her to be taken in the first place.

I have to be strong. I have to do things the right way. I decided not to seek that revenge. Instead, I will continue to play this game of service at a distance, and live this life of comfort with the people who have come to mean to me almost as much as the life I lost six years ago, and I no longer care to live. I'll do this, at least for now.

* * *

Tsunuga  
7/31/06  
1334 words 


	4. Taki: The Honeymoon is Over

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: About time I got around to one of the main characters, eh? This and the "Goh" fic, which I will get around to finishing eventually, are to be part of a larger storyline I am trying to put to words, so it is short and may seem rather incomplete, sorry. Thank you again, eternalsailorsolarwind, for your review. After much weekend reflection (and many distractions) I made some adjustments to the Tsunuga chapter that I hope you will appreciate.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

* * *

**The Honeymoon is Over**

I wake up sometimes, like now, and there he is. It's not the fact that he is there that bears mentioning; I know he's there because that's where he was when I fell asleep. It's that he puts his head on my chest, or his arm around my waist, like he's afraid I'm not going to be here when he wakes up if he doesn't. I get that, but it's still strange. I'm usually rather uncomfortable with this level of intimacy with people. I've spent so many years up until now keeping distance from others. A long string of empty relationships with women. They rarely stayed over, and when they did I made sure they fell asleep first, so I didn't have to deal with any clinging.

I know part of the reason I allow him this is guilt. It only takes one betrayal of trust to damage a relationship for a very long time. I learned that with Mizuki. The love that was there before is still there, but there is still that uncertainty. Love, yes. There is that other part of the reason I allow him this. It feels good when he touches me like this.

I remember the first time we made love. It hurt. He was so concerned about me, though. Asking me if I was okay with his eyes so glazed over with passion. I loved him so much at that very moment. None of the pain or discomfort mattered in comparison. I have to wonder, though, if it was the same for some of those women I slept with? The ones who told me they loved me and let me deflower them? I guess I never really understood them; I never really tried, that is. In that the two of us are surprisingly similar.

He says he doesn't like women. I always thought gay men got along with women really well, since they, "had so much in common," so it was kind of funny to me that he got so up in arms about it all the time. It was a silly thing to assume about gay men, I know that now. I guess part of it was jealousy since they got to have me and he didn't, but now I think I have a better handle on it.

He won't admit it, but I think his mother running off on him had something to do with it. He doesn't trust women. His insecurities led him to reject them from his life. Then he spent years sleeping with only younger men. Abandoned puppies like he used to be. I always had thought that he was just some perverted homo, but I get that now. He never trusted them and he never let them get close, because he was always afraid that they'd leave, too. And then they would. He doesn't trust me either, but he tries. Sometimes I feel like he's forcing himself.

I can see it in his eyes. That wariness. Like he's afraid I'm going to disappear again. I guess I can't blame him. I do have a habit of not saying anything and just splitting, but I won't this time. Not to him; not now. I have too much to lose to throw it away just because I'm scared. I wish I could show him that and have him believe me.

It's like there's this space between us since we got back. Like he's handling me like some fragile doll. When we fight, like we always do, there's this edge. Like he's waiting for me to change my mind. Like that's even possible.

I don't really know what to do about it. I get his insecurities about us, but I don't think there is anything I can do that could ever really assuage them. They're always going to be there at the back of our minds.

I know I love him, though, and really, that's all that matters to me. If I have to deal with his distrust of me, I deserve it. If I have to let him hold me like this, that's fine. I'll bear the burden until I can slowly earn it back. He's worth it. The purest love I have ever felt.

* * *

Taki  
7/31/06  
705 words 


	5. Goh: Fear and Women

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: I planned to work on these a lot this week, but the heat wave kicked me on my butt for a few days (no A/C in my room!) and I spent most of it laying down trying not to sweat to death, sorry. I was going to do Mizuki next (who is incidentally being difficult), but Goh insisted that he wanted to "be behind Taki," and then he winked at me. I started laughing and then he realized I was a woman and walked away from me. Go figure. He also seems to have a lot more to say than Taki, but that doesn't surprise me; Taki's a pretty tight-lipped guy. This and "The Honeymoon is Over" are part of a larger storyline I am trying to put together, so it may seem incomplete and ends rather abruptly, sorry. I hope I accurately represented both Goh's insecurities and his nearly unfathomable bravado as well. My favorite (I assure you, this has nothing to do with the fact that you are my only as of yet) reviewer, eternalsailorsolarwind, thank you for your continued support. I hope you'll notice a continuance in some of the themes in Goh's insights as well. I'd also like to say, though, that while he isn't so much a "puppy" anymore, I do have to argue that there are a few moments in the series when Goh gets that longing puppy look in his eyes (mostly pre-Act 11) that makes you want to melt.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

* * *

**  
Fear and Women**

Even after everything, he still doesn't say that he loves me. I guess I sort of know how women feel now. I mean, I know he does. He wouldn't let me do him if he didn't want me, so there has to be something there. It's like he's skirting around the issue, though. I suppose my passive-aggressive tactic of saying it and hoping he reciprocates isn't the best method when dealing with Taki. He doesn't do subtle so well, not when it comes to emotions anyway. He says I don't get it. That not everyone can be as "in tune" with others' feelings as I am. That he doesn't understand what I want from him.

But it seems my aggressive tactic of demanding he say it doesn't work either. I suppose doing this primarily during sex is part of the reason it fails; he's far too preoccupied to say very much. Being aggressive about it in public does me no good either, though that doesn't stop it from being a very tempting diversion. Old habits are hard to break, it seems.

Sex. Yeah. I still can't believe he lets me have him. I keep waiting to wake up from this amazing dream. He likes it; if physical responses are any judge. I don't hear him complaining; at least not until he can't get up the next morning. Then I hear about it all day. But I know he's just teasing me. He always comes back for more. I told him he wouldn't be able to get enough.

It scares me, though. He's my equal. I never really tried to think about that before. Kei and all the others were safe. I'm man enough to admit that. They needed me because they were just kids, and I liked that. Taki doesn't need me. He's a lone wolf and he doesn't need anyone or anything. He could change his mind at any moment, get up and leave and not feel a thing about it. That's what scares me the most about being in love with him.

He's straight. That's the problem. How's a straight guy supposed to stay with another man? I mean, sure, why wouldn't any man get curious and give the meat a try once in his life? Especially with a catch like me, right? But they don't stay gay. They always go back to their women. Why should Taki be any different? Why would he be happy becoming the woman in a relationship when he's always been the man; been the one in charge? How can he really be satisfied with just me? I want to ask him about it. I want to ask about a lot of things, but I'm scared.

He still won't talk to me about what happened to him. I can't bring it up because I know it would upset him and I don't want to do anything that might cause him to run. I put a lot of it together on my own. This Mizuki chick did something to him; did something to him while she was a he. And he did it when Taki was really vulnerable and shattered whatever trust or love had laid between them. But I don't think that's all of it. Taki seems like he had issues before this happened. It's like he has to work to be as cold as he is; like he's always holding back for some reason; as if he doesn't deserve the love I have to give him. Part of it might be because of what happened with Tsunuga's kid, but even since that was all resolved there is still this space between us. I wish he would be honest with me. He doesn't realize how much it hurts to be left out of his life in any way.

I guess I can't really judge him. There are things in my past that I haven't come clean with him about either. I was more than a little careful about what I told him when he asked about my family that one time he actually seemed interested. Funny that he did that only after sex. Most of the time he acts like he doesn't care at all.

In public he won't even let me touch him. I know it isn't just about the gay thing; that he has bigger issues with physical contact than just people knowing he's with a man, but it still hurts to be rejected like that, so whenever we're alone I'm all over him. He doesn't really like that either sometimes, unless he's in the mood, and then it has to progress to sex or he loses interest. It's not that I mind it progressing to sex, but you know, sometimes I just want that contact. I want to know that he wants to be with me, and I want to know that he is going to keep wanting to be with me.

If there was only something I could do to keep him. I mean, I could... But could I? I know I like to think I am, but really, am I strong enough to let Taki? Would that even be enough?

Really, he's the strong one. To put up with me like this. I love him so much for it. I love him so much for so many things. I just want him to stay, and I think... Yeah, I know, I'd do anything to keep him.

* * *

Goh  
8/5/06  
908 words 


	6. Mizuki: Secrets

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: Oh, my Lord! First, Mizuki didn't want to tell me anything, and then suddenly this became the longest chapter of the series so far! Geez. This one veers the most away from what can be gleaned about character backgrounds from the manga itself, I think. I just always thought it was strange that Katsuro and Mizuki just decided to take some kid home with them. Ah, eternalsailorsolarwind, so very attentive you are. Not only am I glad to see that we think alike on these issues, but that you are able to read through my subtle attempts at making my points about these characters. Goh as a catcher: You'll just have to wait for more information on that. (Eheh.) It might be a while before I get that other story down to posting condition (It'll be after I finish these shorts in any event). I also found that in writing this chapter I really want to go back and write the whole story behind it (another fic on my already full plate, sigh). I have indeed heard about the Yellow Drama CD. Apparently it covers the first 3 or so Acts (so, just the episodic stuff at the beginning). If I understood Japanese at all I'd go out looking for it myself. Maybe someone will write up a transcript for us English speaking unfortunates some day.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

**Secrets**

Everyone has secrets. Some are better at hiding them than others, that's all. I have secrets, too, and not just the ones that certain people have a working knowledge of. Mine go deeper. Mine go straight to the heart in a way that if they were ever known to anyone, and that person chose to use them against me, they could completely undo me. That's why they stay buried. I don't trust anyone that much.

I love Taki. That's no secret. I've loved him since the first time I laid eyes on him, over fifteen years ago. That's closer to it, but not everything. I think Katsuro always knew that much, and many more have come to learn of it since.

I'm amazed I've kept this from Katsuro for so many years. Perhaps because he just never bothered or wanted to dig any deeper than the surface lie. Perhaps because he's my partner and he cares about my privacy. Maybe in the grand scheme of things this secret really doesn't amount to much. Who knows? It certainly isn't a truth that would have any real effect on anyone but me, and perhaps Taki as well.

If I told Taki, what would he think? Would his opinion of me change? For better or for worse? My "change" didn't seem to have much effect on his feelings for me, so maybe he wouldn't blink an eye about it. I know I'll never have him, but that knowledge doesn't change the hurt I feel about it.

He was so small and vulnerable that day. So fragile and yet so beautiful. I stood there waiting for our client to come up with the cash he owed us. A little six year old boy looked up at me and said, with the complete innocence of a child, "You look lonely, mister," and with the grubby hands of a child, reached into his pocket and said, "Here, have some gum, it always cheers me up," and smiled up at me.

How could you not fall in love with that?

"Everyone has a past that covers the years since birth." That's true. From what I know about Katsuro, from the small pieces of information we have been able to glean from each other over the years, he came from a broken home. His father was apparently a mean drunk and I'm not sure, but I don't think his mother was around much, if at all. He joined the SDF just as soon as he was able. They found him to be an excellent marksman, and as the cliché's of these things go, when he left the service, he found himself with a unique employment opportunity, which he readily accepted. Anything to get out of going back to that life.

It wasn't so much different for me. Only, my problems with my father weren't that he hated me or beat me. Far from it. I'm not going to talk about that, but by the time I was the age that Taki left me I was living on the streets myself. In those days I would do anything for money; to remain on my own.

Lost innocence. I don't even remember anymore what it felt like to have any. I lost it so young. Endless nights crying for relief; for an end to my torment. I stopped feeling. I stopped caring about this wretched world and all the worthless people in it.

I killed for the first time at the age of 15. This isn't the secret. My own past, as troubling as it is to think or speak about, is not what I am afraid to reveal to the one I love. Who I killed was my father. I killed him and then I disappeared. It wasn't hard. It wasn't like anyone was really going to look for a wretch like me, over a wretch like him, anyway.

I met Kasturo in the most unlikely of places: a gay bar. I had tried to pick him up for the night. I needed a place to stay and some people I had stiffed on some drugs were looking for me. He wasn't interested. That's not what he was doing there. I learned later he was staking out a job, but at the time I guess I ruined his cover as I followed him outside when I spotted one of the men looking for me.

The details of all of this are unimportant, but basically Katsuro saved me from a beating or worse that night. I still don't know why he did that for me. The one time I asked he said he did it on a whim, because he was bored.

He also gave me a lecture about drugs and was about to send me on my way when I asked him to take me with him. He said what he did for a living wasn't something for "kids" to get messed up in. I guess he thought I was still a teenager. I know I always looked pretty young for my age. Eventually he relented, after I "helped" him on his job he realized I didn't really have a problem with death or killing. He said I was the perfect partner because I didn't care at all and I could do all the "dirty" work like what had brought him to a gay bar in the first place. He taught me how to shoot and a lot of other technical things, I cleaned up my act, and we went on working together for some time like that. Years later this brought us to Taki's father.

He paid us to kill the murderer of his wife. A drunk driver who got off with a slap on the wrist. We took the job with only half the payment up front. It wasn't a huge payoff, and the job had been as simple as they come, but when it came to paying the second half we found out that this guy owed more than just money to us; he had a considerable gambling debt as well.

I felt almost sorry for him, but as he nervously tried to buy himself time he did something. He looked at Taki, who he for some unfathomable reason had brought with him; probably to invoke sympathy and buy himself a few more days. He said, "Go wait for me in the car, Taki." He did this and then he bent down and hugged the boy. He hugged him and when he pulled away he looked at Taki's face and smiled. He looked at his son with a face that didn't say, "I love you like a father." He looked at Taki with a face that said, "You look like your mother." Taki was more than a little affected by this look because he shrugged away and turned to leave. The bright smile I had seen on him just moments before, gone. I immediately wanted to kill this man, and when I knew Taki was out of eyesight, I did.

That day, Taki became my world. The light in my dark and worthless existence. I looked down at that abandoned boy; abandoned not literally, but by a man who no longer saw him when he looked at him. I saved him from that life.

How was I to know that I would commit the same sin upon the boy as well one day? I tried to do it right. I spoiled him and I coddled him, I was more than a little protective of what I allowed him to witness of our real work, and I waited; waited for a day when he would be old enough to choose for himself. I tried to show him the purest kind of love I could think existed. I gave Taki the control in the situation. Giving up that control was the greatest act of devotion I could think of. I gave him the choice; the power. When he took my offer and shattered it, I shattered with it.

I tried to think, desperately, of what I could do to fix this, but in the end my efforts were for nothing; he would never come back. He couldn't love me the way I needed him to. Even though we were not family, he couldn't bring himself to love me any other way. I showed an innocent boy a killer that night and I scared him away for good. I can't help but wonder if I had had the courage to have done it the night before, would things have been different? Would he have stayed with me? Or, would he have just run later anyway when he found out the truth?

I never told him what happened to his father. I guess he had heard the gunshot, even though I used a silencer. That or he had an intuition; he was always so very bright. Either way he made his way back and saw the bleeding corpse of a man who was once the only family had had left in the world and another man who he had just offered gum to a few moments earlier standing over him with a gun. It must have been shock because he stood there completely blank for several minutes. I put him on a bench and moved the body and cleaned up the mess. Then I called Katsuro. By the time Taki was home with us that night it was as if he didn't remember anything. Not his father or what he had seen. It is interesting how children are able to block out these kinds of memories. In a way I envied him for that. I needed him for that.

My desperate need for him was what ultimately drove him away. I'm sure of that now. I drove him away and now it is too late. My lies and deceit cost me the love of my life. He's moved on and found someone much more worthy of his love. If only I had been worthy.

I don't know if I will ever love again and I don't believe I will ever accept Taki's love for another man. If I thought it would bring Taki back to me, I would kill that man in a second, but I know it wouldn't. He doesn't want me to do anything that would make him sad. I can't say no to that face. Oh, Taki.

All I have left now is my partner. Katsuro, despite a total lack of interest in me romantically, has stayed loyal to me for all of these years. He could have abandoned me too, that day, but he didn't. I'm not foolish enough now to fall in love with him for it, but he is the closest thing to family I have left, and I don't ever plan to let that slip away. I wonder if he knows that? One of my less well-kept secrets.

Mizuki  
8/7/06  
1825 words


	7. Mimi: Token

Warnings: Not really many spoilers in this one, actually. Maybe characters through volume 2 and plot through volume 3?  
Notes: I wanted this chapter to be longer, but it's difficult to work with a character who is in like 3 panels each volume. I can either totally make up her backstory, which is utterly unnecessary and adds little to the story, or I can make it short and sweet. Hope you guys like it. eternalsailorsolarwind: My theory as far as my intention in this fic series is concerned, is that while this past I've constructed affects Taki in his dealings and aversions with and to others, he has no conscious memory of it. I personally respect Taki regardless of this idea, though. His ability to finally put gender aside and embrace his love for Goh is wonderfully written. "When making love, there is no man, no woman. It is hot, feels good, and is messy. Feeling good is the only important thing." Excellent stuff. And welcome to my fic series, Ruusei! I'm glad you are enjoying it so far. The Mari fic was the first strong one I completed on this project, so I'm glad you found it humorous and had the same curiousity about her thoughts on her father. As for the Tsunuga chapter, I tried to convey his motivations as those of an angry and betrayed man. I went with a more random "stream of consciousness" feel with him. I guess it does feel a bit choppy, though.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

* * *

**Token**

It's hard being the woman. Sometimes I feel like I'm the "token woman" in this world of men at Cafe Roost. It doesn't help that they're all basically gay, even Mr. Hatozaki, apparently. What kind of career man isn't married at his age, hm? Yeah, that's right. Then there's Kanji. The way he's always looking after Goh and Taki like a puppy makes me wonder. He's never even once tried to hit on me, either. Very suspicious. Mr. Tsunuga's the only straight one, but who wants a guy who's practically your father? Ew. His daughter sure is a cutie, though.

I always knew Taki was like that, too. I mean, come on. Two gorgeous, well-built men living together as "work partners?" And such impeccable taste in clothes. The matching earrings! It was all so obvious! Such a shame, but they do make such a cute couple. It's almost enough to make a girl go mad.

They all think I'm so naive. Like I can't see something else is going on around here. Sometimes when Taki and Goh come down for "meals" they have this sharp edge to their eyes and they get really serious. Even Kanji gets all quiet, and for Kanji to shut his mouth for anything... A woman picks up on these things.

And they never pay for anything! Every day they come and eat and drink coffee and I have never seen Mr. Tsunuga write up one bill or enter dollar amount one in the tab book. Come on, how stupid do they think I am? Very, it seems.

I don't have time for boys and their games, anyway, because right now I'm saving up for college. I bet they don't even know that about me. Some day I'm going to be a world-class psychologist! Ha! Maybe I should become a detective instead!

I heard Mr. Tsunuga used to be with the police. That's how he must know Mr. Hatozaki. Maybe Goh and Taki are undercover detectives! And Mr. Tsunuga, too! Yeah, yeah, and the Cafe is a front for foiling criminal plots! Yeah, right. But, ooh, that'd be exciting!

Whatever it is I'm not supposed to know about it so I guess it's the "dumb blond" bit for me. But that's all right. Let them think whatever they want. I'll just do my job and live my life and everything is just fine.

* * *

Mimi  
8/12/06  
397 words


	8. Kei: Sex

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: I had to stop Kei from turning this into a lemon in the beginning. I almost had to change the title to "Men" to get his mind out of the gutter, but realized that still wouldn't have worked. Little tease. This week I obligated my priorities to my beta duties, so this is all you are getting yet again, sorry. This is mostly unrelated to my being stuck on the next installment (OK, much to do with it; Kanji is talking a lot but not saying anything interesting, Hatozaki won't say anything at all right now, and I had to gag Kei before he could go on any longer about sex. This fic is supposed to be rated T, Kei!). Eternalsailorsolarwind: I've had Hero Heel on my wishlist for months now myself; I'm getting impatient for it. Ruusei: You don't need to apologize, and I would never expect anyone to spend all the time to respond to each and every chapter. I hope you guys enjoy this installment!  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

Sex

I really like sex. There's nothing better than having a gorgeous well-built man wrapped around or pressed up against you. I'm a real sucker for a good kisser. Lips are the first thing you taste on a man. They are the first thing that enters your body and tastes you in return. Hot, moist and passionate. Oh, boy do I love men.

Goh says I "can't keep it zipped." He's completely right. I think he's just frustrated that even he wasn't enough to satisfy me, though. A shot to his ego. Oh well, he'll survive. He's got his gorgeous lover and his happy ending now.

I'm glad it worked out for them, I really am. I know I sort of freaked for a while, but I can acknowledge when I'm outclassed. Taki's a better partner than I could ever be for Goh. He needs someone smart, strong, stable and beautiful, and while I like to think myself both beautiful and intelligent, taking literal shots (twice!) at people because they broke my heart isn't exactly stable, is it?

When I first met Goh he was even more impulsive and audacious than he is now. I say he forced me back then, but really, I didn't mind. It wasn't like I was some sort of virgin or that I wasn't attracted to him. I just had planned to keep business and pleasure separate in our partnership when we entered into it. Goh came into the relationship with no such qualms. I often wonder if his decision to join me in our new venture as snatchers wasn't based completely on his desire to bed me all along, and the job incidental.

It was fun back then. I did most of the thinking and he did most of the leg work. Our days were filled with danger and excitement and our nights filled with passionate lovemaking. I fell pretty hard for him, and while he played the part of the doting lover I could always feel that distance that he placed between us. He never would let me in or trust me completely. It broke my heart, so of course I did everything I could think of to destroy our relationship in return. I slept with other men and when that didn't affect him I ran off with all our money. Even that wasn't enough. People say Goh is good at reading others. If that's true I wonder why he never saw it coming; never saw how much he hurt me. Who knows? Maybe he did, but he just didn't care. Another barrier between him and real love. At least Taki could admit he was separating himself from such feelings. I wanted to show Goh just how much he hurt me. I wanted to show him how to love. I guess it wasn't me who could do that for him in the end.

I can't say I'm not attracted to Taki, either. The man is gorgeous. Straight men shouldn't be allowed to look that good. Good thing he never really was, right? Hah! Oh, their feelings for each other were written all over their faces from day one. I can't believe anyone could be surprised about how it turned out. I can't believe it took them so long to get into bed with each other! Goh restraining himself like that, or rather, being able to restrain himself is mind-boggling to me. The Goh I knew would have thrown Taki to the floor and ravaged him months earlier. Though, I guess I have to admit some of his insecurities were my fault. Instead of showing him how to love I showed him how to try and separate work from pleasure when he got into his next partnership and he kept even more distance with Taki. I think that was one more of my guilt-ridden consolations working against my burning jealousy about how Goh would look at Taki; look at him with such longing and affection.

I was so sure they were already lovers when I got there. I'm so glad they weren't. To have had to kill Goh for being in love would have destroyed me. People shouldn't be punished for being in love. That's one thing I wish I could have left Mizuki with. Not just trying to punish Goh, but herself. Watching her make herself suffer like that was hard on me. I guess I'm just a sucker for a person with a broken heart.

W all have our issues, after all. Taki rejected men because of what happened with Mizuki. Goh rejected women because of what happened with his mother. I can't keep it zipped because I want to be loved and I never was. Rejected by my father before I was even born and rejected by my mother because she had to raise me alone. Raised mostly on the streets and self-educated I searched and searched for a meaning to my life and found it in my value to others. To be wanted and needed is the greatest feeling in the world and I have always treasured it, whether it be of me or observed between others and I vowed to never stand in its way and to always fight for its survival in this brutal and uncaring world.

When I watched that proud man grovel, I knew. Goh, groveling, can you believe that? Begging me, his former lover who ran out on him, who tried to kill him no less than three times; standing in front of him with his head bowed low and desperately asking for help. What a wonderful man. To be loved like that, Taki is truly lucky. A truly lucky and totally stupid man for doing what he did, so of course I had to help them.

I'm not claiming any sense of selflessness here. I did what I did for me just as much as for Goh. To make amends for running out on him. To make amends for trying to kill him. To make amends for ruining their beautiful life together by bringing Sandfish to their door. It was an obligation; an act of penance. And of course because I still love him. Damn that man for making me love him.

I do hope theirs is a love that will last them their lives. For myself, I'll keep searching for the right one. In the meantime I can have lots of that beautiful sex with all of those beautiful men that I want.

Kei  
8/20/06  
1079 words


	9. Hatozaki: Brother

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: Sorry for the delay. I almost didn't get this chapter up this week. Work was hell and then I had some minor writer's block with the last two characters (and for some reason motivation for a songfic for this series is invading my time; I don't even like songfics!) and then I was having issues getting documents to upload (still am, actually). On incest: I'm not a fan of incest pairings, but I didn't want to cop out and make them half or adopted brothers, so this is what you get. On character ages: I've had to do a lot of math to work this out, so here we go. I've considered that Yukiya is around 17 in the manga, still young enough to be a dependent, but definitely in high school. I had wanted to make Tsunuga and Hatozaki the same age, but Tsunuga has to be at the very least 30 (having a 12 year old daughter) and the numbers weren't going to match up unless I made the age difference between Yukiya and Hatozaki unreasonably larger (12 years is a bit much as it stands, considering I've made them full blood relatives). eternalsailorsolarwind: It seems Hatozaki decided to step up (and ended up talking my ear off, too; this is now the second longest in the series! Why is it the most aloof characters with the smallest amount of backstory do the most talking to me?) after Kanji kept babbling on about magic tricks and hero worship. He didn't want to hear it either. Blech. I'll work it out later. I'm glad you liked Kei's chapter and I'm leaning more to the intended pun because it makes me smile. Please enjoy this installment!  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

Brother

I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I had never planned, nor do I now plan to have ever seduced my younger brother. I love my brother; I do. Yukiya is my whole world. Growing up we only really had each other. Father was always busy with work. He was a career detective himself. Mother fell ill when Yukiya was still very young. In the years between falling ill and her eventual death I had already taken over for caring for my younger brother. He was much younger than me; 12 years in fact, and only 5 when she finally passed away. I think at that age, watching her ill was very hard for him and caused him to become even more dependent upon me for emotional support. In turn I became very protective of him; and I would always worry about him when I wasn't there. I would worry unreasonably that something would happen and I would never see him again. I would rush home to make sure he was there and whenever he was hurt or upset I would rush to his side and take care of the problem, whether it was a bully at school who I could scare off, or ice cream I could go out with him to get so that he wasn't lonely. I can't say that I was ever truly panicked in those years, though. Not compared to the three specific incidents when I found myself truly fearful of losing him.

The first was when our father passed away. By some horrible act of coincidence or fate, both of our parents died in the same year. Maybe it was grief and the even heavier work load he forced on himself that caused the heart attack that took his life suddenly, I don't know. I wasn't yet out of high school and I had feared, being that we had no other family besides each other, that he would be taken away from me and I would never see him again. The money from our parents' estate coupled with the fact that my father had connections high up in the force, essentially ensuring my admittance to the police academy, thankfully enabled me to glide through and become an elite detective by the age of 23 and keep my brother close. I didn't join the force because of duty or a strong sense of justice. I did it for Yukiya; so that I could take care of him. This was the easiest and fastest course for me to take.

The second occurred when my colleague, Shigeyuki Tsunuga, lost his family to murderers. Tsunuga was a few years older than me, though I had risen in the ranks much faster than him because of my family connections. I found out then just how savage the world could be. I wasn't as naive as Tsunuga had been, though. My position afforded me a lot more information than his did and I knew that something wasn't adding up in how that incident went down. It became even more suspicious when, even after Tsunuga left the force, I was asked to, "keep an eye on him." I did of course. To my superiors I was "pretending" to be a friend while I actually kept tabs on Tsunuga as I helped him set up his snatcher business and act as his go-between with the police on jobs. I couldn't disobey my superiors. I might have been elite and had connections from my father, but I wasn't high enough in the ranks yet to affect any change. I regarded Tsunuga as a true friend, though, and my real objective was to help him find the truth, even if I knew he was looking in the wrong places. I worked my way up ever higher after that day, to make sure that something like this couldn't happen again. Not to my colleagues, but moreover, not to my brother and myself. I regarded the risks I took in aiding Tsunuga as an acceptable trade-off for the greater gain in protecting Yukiya in the long run.

The third and most terrifying incident occurred when Yukiya ran away after some of my less trustworthy coworkers got it into his head that I was going to marry and abandon him so they could steal some drugs and make some money for themselves. I was frantic during this time. I even broke my anonymity with Tsunuga's snatchers. I wasn't supposed to ever reveal myself to them, but I was desperate. I have to admit that this incident changed some things about my objectives as well as myself. Before, I was interested in helping Tsunuga and thereby helping myself and my brother, but I hadn't regarded any outside issues arising as a result of my arrangements with the snatching business. It made me not only much more suspicious and wary of my colleagues and superiors, but it also afforded me a true glimpse into the lives of those boys. They were just a vehicle before. A means to an end for both myself and Tsunuga, but afterwards it was more. They proved themselves more than capable and gained my trust as well as indebting me to them greatly. After that I was a lot more lenient with what I allowed them to get away with and when certain issues arose for them later, I lent a hand even though there was nothing in it for me, and in fact created some risk to my position. It was interesting finding myself with concern over people who were not my brother.

On the night that I finally was able to take Yukiya home I also learned of another negative feeling I had in regard to my brother: jealousy. Seeing him on top of Goh like that enraged me. Not at Goh, I understood the specifics of the situation very well at that time, but at the very idea that anyone would touch him. That he would be willing to have anyone touch him that way, when I had been denying any sense of desire towards him in myself for years. It all came crashing down on me that night, completely by surprise. I had not ever so much as considered it before. The years I had spent protecting him; years I kept him close, but still at arms' length. I had justified it as my desire to raise him to rely on himself and not be totally dependent on me, but here was this other reason. He forced his own feelings in my face and I could no longer deny that my little brother didn't just love me and depend upon me because I was his older brother and he had no one else, and that this incident had simply pushed him to desperation to get me to acknowledge him and this feeling.

I still didn't act, though. I took Yukiya home that night and I calmed him down and even though I had revealed to him rather openly in my heightened emotional state that I might return his feelings, I just couldn't. He's still a boy and he's still my brother and as tempting as it would be to fall from grace and devote my life to him in another way, it wouldn't be fair to someone who has his whole life open ahead of him. I want him to be free to choose his path, so that when he finally doesn't need me to take care of him anymore, he won't be tied down by me either.

Still, on one particular night after I had gotten off the phone with Tsunuga, the memory of what happened to his family, the possible scenarios running through my head over Taki's involvement with Sandfish and my already shaken once brother standing concerned behind me led to my closest act of desperation in regard to my need to keep him with me. The very notion of losing him terrified me more at that moment than at any other time, including the past incidents. I rose from my seat, around to where he was standing and I embraced him tighter than I had ever even conceived of doing before. Startled by my sudden affection when I had been avoiding physical contact for months, he had embraced me back enthusiastically and we stood there like that in the living room of our home for a very long time. I couldn't bring myself to move because I knew if I did, even for just a moment, that it would be to kiss him and then to take him to my bed and, oh, God, what was I even considering? Instead I just held him and whispered about how lucky I was to have him and how I would always be there to protect him; my little brother.

Hatozaki  
8/27/06  
1473 words


	10. Kanji: Family

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: Kanji is very loud. I apologize for him in advance. I hope you'll notice how his word count fits snugly between Goh and Taki's... eternalsailorsolarwind (your pen name is effortless to write out at this point!): I think it has to do with the very police report nature of Hatozaki's chapter. It practically bullet point's out each statement matter-of-factly and leaves little room for argument. I bet he's really good at interrogations. As for Hatozaki/Yukiya, I do like both characters and I agree that their feelings for one another give strength to the story. I particularly like the tension, and I've been mulling it over a bit lately, so maybe we'll be seeing more of this from me in the future. This is technically the last character and chapter from this series, but look for one more special little something from me for you loyal readers in the next couple of days. I just need to work a few more things out on it.  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

**Family**

Hi! This is really exciting! I know, I know. I'm being too loud, but it's not every day that a guy can talk all about himself and people are actually interested! Want to see a magic trick? Hm. I don't know how that'd work here. Anyway, I guess I should stick with talking about myself.

I never really had a father growing up; or any siblings. I guess that's why I latched onto Goh and Taki. They're like the brothers I never got to have growing up. Maybe that's why I turned out a little "off?" It's not like I don't like girls or anything, it's just when I look at Goh and Taki together it makes me feel all warm inside, like that's special and it's right and I want to feel that kind of joy, too.

I don't remember my birth father. I'm not really sure what happened to him. Maybe mom just sort of had me accidentally and never told him. She always seemed kind of bitter about men, though, so maybe he ran off on her. I guess it wasn't so bad, though. I had lots of people to pay attention to me at mom's job.

Yeah, mom used to bring me to work with her, even when I was really little. She said that "if I could walk I could help" and she always had me running errands and entertaining the customers. That's why I started learning magic tricks. Goh says I still have a long way to go to be a great magician like his teacher. He says he can talk to him and maybe get an apprenticeship for me. I don't know, though. I'd have to go away and then I wouldn't see anybody anymore. And plus, I want to be a snatcher like Goh and Taki some day, so I have to stay and train with them!

Goh and Taki are so cool! I'm so glad I met them! I mean, I miss my mom and everything and I wish she didn't have to go to jail, but she did bad things and Goh and Taki weren't trying to hurt anyone; they were just doing their job. And boy is it a cool job! Doing jobs under the table for the police to rope in criminals and stuff! And they're so cool about it! I know I can't measure up to the way they're so smooth about the smallest details; like when they take the pass code note all calm-like while they're sipping coffee. Totally awesome! Taki is so smart and is such a good fighter and Goh has all those neat tricks; they make it look so easy! I don't know if I'll ever be that good.

If I had to name my biggest fault I guess it'd be the loud thing. It's just that I always had to scream and yell and carry on to get my mom to pay attention to me all those years, even if it was just so she could yell at me to be quiet. It's a hard habit to break, even now that everyone lets me be around and talks to me and includes me in things even without all that noise.

Right now I'm just trying to focus on my job at Roost and finish high school. Mr. Tsunuga's really nice to keep me on the staff all this time as a favor to Mr. Hatozaki. When Mr. Hatozaki used to bring me down to the station all the time because of mom's business he was always nice. He'd tell me about his brother that was around my age and I always felt like he really sympathized with my problems. He even got me into the same school as Yukiya on a scholarship!

I guess they wanted to keep me close because I know about the snatcher business and I could be useful sometimes. I'm kinda sorry that I had to lie and keep stuff from them a while back, but it was for Goh and Taki and I think they understand. Mr. Tsunuga hasn't said anything about it since then and he still lets me work for him, so I guess everything is okay.

Since I'm much better at talking than I am at serving food or cleaning I mostly just entertain Mari while everyone is working and help a little with the snatching stuff on the side, since Mimi isn't supposed to know anything. Mari really likes my magic tricks, even though she always giggles and repeats Goh about the "not so good" thing. She says I'm really funny and I "liven the room whenever I'm there." So cute.

Anyway, life is really good for me right now. I wouldn't change my lot in it for anything. I'm just happy to finally be a part of a family!

Kanji  
8/29/06  
807 words


	11. Omake: The Uke Club

Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.  
Notes: I decided that it wasn't fair to give Yukiya his own chapter, since there were lesser characters with more presence over the course of the series I would have had to give time to if I gave it to Hatozaki's brother. Instead, and in that spirit, please enjoy this little "extra" I threw together (it became _much_ longer than originally planned; these ukes just wouldn't shut up!). I thought of actually including that Nameless Women meeting, but thought I pretty much already covered the important points in this one. I hope you've all enjoyed this series! I will continue to respond directly to any reviews privately, so don't be shy to tell me what you thought of it! eternalsailorsolarwind: You'll notice my own pen name in reference to yours' difficulty. Glad you liked Kanji's piece and I'm sad to see it end, too, but this marks the completion of my first multi-part fan fiction endeavor. I'm really working on those other Yellow pieces (as well as a few other things), but you may find it takes me a lot longer to write chapters now (single characters in one-shot style is super-easy in comparison!). Hope you can wait patiently! I want you to know that having even one person waiting for them gives me a degree of motivation I didn't think I was capable of!  
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...

**The Uke Club**

Outside the door was a small sign handwritten, "Uke Club Meeting, 9:00." The small meeting room had exactly six chairs in it. To the organizer of this gathering, this number held particular significance. It signified the number of invitees as well as the number of "cases" the snatchers Goh and Taki had worked that brought these six individuals to each others' attention and linked them to one another.

Kei sat at the head of the group. At his feet was that annoying little yippy dog. It was currently snoozing in some disgustingly frilly outfit. In Kei's hand was a file folder; not unlike those used in the police force for keeping information on suspected criminals. In fact, it almost certainly was one of those very folders, since every time Kei glanced in Yukiya's direction, the seventeen year old boy looked away uncomfortably, as if he was ashamed of taking something from his brother without permission and afraid he would be found out. However, why Hatozaki would be keeping files on the likes of these six, and keeping them together in one folder at home, was an interesting subject in and of itself, but not one for this meeting.

Rei was the first to speak. "Uh, so why are we all here? I was sort of hoping to lay low for a while..."

"I think it's because we all slept with Goh," Kazuki offered.

"Or tried to," Rei fired back as he glanced over at Kanji.

"I never tried to sleep with G-" Michiru tried to add, but was cut off by the boisterous youth.

"Dude, I'm not an uke! I would totally have been on top! I don't even know what I'm doing here!"

"Pipe down, Kanji. First of all, we all know who would have ended up on top of that," Kei paused for affirmation from the group, who nodded their agreement, "and secondly, you're here because you are an important part of this support network. We're all here because Goh and Taki's partnership affected each of our lives greatly."

"Oh, so it's not because we're all in love with Goh and jealous of Taki?" Rei asked, looking at Kei knowingly.

Kei rubbed his temples. "...No. Anyway, we should get started with this thing. Rei, since you seem to be rather forward, why don't you begin?"

"Tsk. What do you mean by 'forward?' Are you suggesting I'm loose?"

"Well, according to this file, you are a, 'horrible slut whose family had Yakuza connections long before you became the lover of the Kumagai-gumi's boss.' Plus, everyone knows Goh has a weakness for sluts, and you, honey, so obviously fit the bill."

"Well, I can't deny my charm," Rei admitted as he stood to address the group. "Hi, I'm Rei. I slept with Goh for a while, but he was only doing me so he could gather intel on his case to nail my Papa; for drugs that is. I don't think Papa was his type."

"Yes, thank you, Rei." Kei flipped to another page. "Michiru-"

"Then what the hell is that sign all about on the door?"

"Kanji, remember what we talked about before the meeting? Indoor voice. Indoor."

"Sorry," Kanji apologized, dejectedly.

"Brother Ryuichi really wrote that?" Yukiya spoke for the first time.

'Wrote what, Yukiya, dear?" Kei asked as motherly as he could muster.

"...S-slut...?" The word almost too embarrassing for the youth.

Kei mulled over the document pertaining to Rei for a moment. "Yup, 'horrible slut,' that's what it says here."

"I-I see. I-is there..?"

"A file on you, honey?"

Before the boy could affirm, Rei interrupted, "So, Yukiya, what are you afraid is written in there?"

"N-nothing."

Kei turned his attention back to the folder momentarily. At this opportunity, Rei lunged for and grabbed it out of Kei's hands and fled to the other side of the room to check things out for himself.

"Woah! You 'did' Goh, too, kiddo? Wow, I'm impressed. Wouldn't have imagined a cute little schoolboy like you would've had the guts."

"It was only because... Well, brother... And I was desperate to..." The room became uncomfortably quiet suddenly. Fortunately for everyone, Rei was obviously not the type to hold his attention on any one thing for too long.

"Woah, Kazuki. Says here you shot Goh! I only ever drugged and kidnapped Taki and tried to have him molested."

"For the record, I only slept with Goh for money, and I only shot him because he was trying to get me busted on gun charges."

"Yeah, sure. I'm sure most of us would have liked to take a shot at that one, or beat the other one at one point or another."

At this, Kei was the one who looked a bit nervous. "...For a man claiming to be on the run as well right now, you're being rather-"

"I'm saying that my dealings with the snatchers were strictly _coincidental_. I'm just saving up to pursue my real dreams."

"Listen, all _I'm_ saying is pretty boy over here can talk about being an 'aspiring actor,' but it all amounts to nothing, since all he really is is some high class whore."

"Why, you little bitch!" Kazuki started to stand.

The little yippy dog raised its head at this. "Not you, sweetheart," Kei addressed it as he tried to stabilize the situation. "Please, Kazuki, calm down," to which Kazuki grudgingly sat back down and the dog returned to its nap, which apparently was far more interesting than this room full of ukes.

Unfortunately, Rei kept tempting fate. "Actor. Whore. See? Same difference."

When Kazuki didn't respond to this he added, "Hey, actor-whore, you sure the chairs in here are facing the right direction? You want to redecorate?"

Kei at this point was at Kazuki's seat, keeping the man from getting up and pummeling the youth.

"Um?" Michiru interjected.

"Yes, Michiru?" Kei was glad for the interruption.

"Uh, aren't I supposed to be in America or something? How did I even get here?"

"Magic. Don't ask questions like that, dear. It makes the author nervous."

"Sorry. It's just, doesn't it seem odd to anyone else that the six ukes in here represent the first six Acts in the Yellow series and that after volume 2 there aren't any more of us at all? As if we were allowed to say our piece and then, with the exception of Kei and to a lesser extent Kanji, stuffed quietly away never to be heard from again, except in some dumb Omake to some fan fiction series that really focused on all the "important" characters?"

"A-acts? V-volumes? What are you talking about?" Kei looked at his watch panicked. "Sorry guys, we have to cut the meeting short! The nameless women that Taki's banged are meeting here in only... 25 minutes... Damn it. B-but Miss Jun was given special permission to attend from prison to head it up, so she probably needs like, 20 minutes to freshen up..."

"Who the hell is Jun?" Rei interrupted.

"Kanji's mom that Taki was banging. You know, the token 'raging bitch-slut' from Act 4," Kazuki provided, though refused to look his way.

"As opposed to...?"

Michiru stepped in to explain. "Oh, you know, Tsunuga's wife, Kazue, the 'helpless mother who got murdered,' or his daughter, Mari, the token 'little girl,' or Mimi, the 'ditzy blond.' The only women who got to have names in this series were the single instances of female stereotypes."

"Mom is here?" Kanji wondered hopefully, completely forgetting Michiru's "six ukes" comment.

"Ah. So that chick that Goh walks in on in the bathroom in Act 4 doesn't have a name because there was already a ditzy blond and a skank?" Rei pondered aloud while flipping through the blue manga volume.

"Exactly."

"I see, but why do we all get to have names? I know me and Kei might as well be the same guy only a couple years apart in age. Our names are even practically the same..."

"Ah, that's simple. You see, it's a yaoi series; all the ukes get to have names, regardless of value," Michiru set the issue to rest.

"Ohh."

"I feel like I'm in a bizarre yaoi take-off of a Pirandello play," Kazuki sighed.

"Yeah! Six Uke's in Search of an Author (n)!" Michiru giggled.

"Damn it! I'm not an uke!"

"Oh, please, Kanji. With all that disgusting hero worship, just try to tell us you wouldn't be thrilled to be in the middle of a Goh/Taki sandwich," Rei cut him off this time.

Kanji tried to change the subject. "Wait, so according to all this 'uke' logic, why isn't Mizuki here?"

"If Mizuki wanted to be a part of this support network she shouldn't have got her 'thing' cut off. She can go fight with Jun over who was screwed over more by Taki in the other meeting," Kei responded curtly.

"Plus, she got to have the longest chapter of this damned thing (over us, even). She's had enough attention," Kazuki added.

"And don't forget she wants to kill Kei right now," Rei chimed in, giving Kei another one of those knowing looks, to which Kei looked away uncomfortably.

"I still don't know why I'm here. I had no romantic or sexual interest in either Goh or Taki. I know I'm basically an uke and everything, but..." Michiru complained.

"And don't forget you're totally still a virgin," Rei felt the need to supply.

"Gah! That sucks!"

Rei checked the folder to make sure his hunch was correct and nodded to himself as he offered, "Don't worry. Kanji is, too. You're not alone, sweetheart."

"I'm not a virgin! And I'm not an uke!"

"Geez, Kanji, give it a rest," Rei interrupted before Kanji could shout any more, offering the page with Hatozaki's handwritten, "...Is most definitely still a virgin."

Kanji deflated.

"It's okay, Kanji. If you want a hand getting rid of that cherry, and that pesky uke image, you give me a call, all right?" Kei responded with a wink, to which Kanji responded dumbfounded with jaw agape.

"Dear God, it's a miracle! Something that can actually shut Kanji up! Way to go, 'can't keep it zipped' Kei!"

"My nickname is written in there?"

"Yup."

Yukiya, who had been sitting quietly between Kazuki and Michiru until now, broke from his melancholic reverie to try to help. "I don't see why you have to pick on Kanji so much."

"Oh, don't you get in this 'brother lover.' Really, how creepy can you get?" Rei fired back.

Yukiya returned to his brooding with only a sigh.

Kei decided to end it before Rei got lynched. "Er. Well, we really do have to get going now, guys. Let's try again next week. Same time?" he offered.

They looked at each other apathetically and shrugged as they shuffled out of the room.

End.

(n) Yes, I couldn't resist the urge to make a Luigi Pirandello reference. If you are unfamiliar with his work I recommend _Naked Masks_, a collection of his plays, which indeed includes _Six Characters in Search of an Author_, the play this line is a take-off of. I can't help but throw my hands up in frustration like the Manager does at the end of that play and scream, "I've lost a whole day over these ukes, a whole day!"

(In order of appearance in the manga) Rei, Michiru, Yukiya, Kanji, Kazuki, Kei  
8/30/06  
1805 words  
Total Series Wordcount (not including Omake): 10491


End file.
